Lamp lens



Feb. 21, 1939. J. A. MOREHEAD LAMP LENS Original Filed March 9, 1936INVENTOR James; a. wefieczd BY ZW A TTORNE Y.

ruby color and, wth a very high degree of re- The purpose of theseprojections is to reflect light, fiectivity, they appear to be about asbright from from the head lights of an approaching automorefiected lightas from transmitted light, that is, bile, in the form of a slightlyspreading beam when the bulb of the tail lamp is lighted. It has alongsubstantially the path of the incident beam, been recognized that thisis an undesirable conso that the tail lamp lens will be rendered clearlydition. To overcome this, means has been provisible to the approachingmotorist by light revided for causing the lens to take on a differentflected from the head lights of the approaching appearance undertransmitted light than under automobile. The insert 2 has no such lightrerefiected light. It is to such lenses that the presfleetingproperties. Therefore, under reflected ent invention more particularlyappertains. light, the lens will appear as a ruby colored ring,

In the preferred embodiment of the present inor disc, having a centerdark spot.

vention the lens is provided with an insertion of .In Figure 2 I ha. eillustrated a tail lamp of glass of a different color from that of themain standard construction, except for the improved body, and ofnegligible light reflecting properties, lens It is understood that mypresent lens is apalthough of high light transmitting properties.plicable to other forms of lamps. The tail lamp This piece of glass ismolded directly into the body shown by way of illustration comprises ametal of the lens so as to form one integral piece therebody 5 having anoverhanging rim 6 in which is with. inserted a spring ring I that holdsthe lens in It is a further object of the present invention place, in amanner well known in the art, alto provide'a lens of the above characterwherein though any other means may be used for holding the insert isheld in place in a simple and reliable the lens in place. An electriclight bulb 8 is promanner so that the same cannot possibly be disvided,as is usual. Light from the bulb passes placed from the rest of thelens. through the body of the glass I, in the usual The attainment ofthe above and further obmanner, to produce a bright ruby coloredillumijects of the present invention will be apparent nation. The lightalso passes through the center 40 from the following specification takenin conjuncinsert 2 and produces a very bright beam of white tion withthe accompanying drawing forming a light. This light is entirely absentwhen the lens part thereof. is illuminated by reflection, and thereforeserves In the drawing: as a distinguishing characteristic to indicatewhen Figure 1 is a front view of a lens constructed in the bulb 8 islighted. accordance with the teachings of my invention; Reference maynow be had to Figure 3 which Figure2 is alongitudinal sectional viewthrough shows themanner whereby the insert 2 is held the lens, andshowing the same applied to the tail in place in the body I. lamp of anautomobile; The glass of the insert merges and is fused Figure 3 is anenlarged sectional view of a with' the glass of the body I at theperiphery I0 portion of the lens of Figures 1 and 2; and thus firmlyuniting the two. In addition, there Figure 4 is a diagrammatic,fragmentary secis a thin, practically invisible, layer of glass IItional view of a pair of molds within which the on the back of theinsert 2, said layer being part lens is made. of and integral with themain body I, and being Reference may now be had more particularlyto alsofused into the back of the insert 2. This Figures 1, 2 and 3. The lensof Figure. 1 comlayer II is so thin that it does not modify the prises abody I of glass, preferably, although light transmitting characteristicsof the insert 2, not necessarily, ruby colored, and an insert 2, but itdoes help hold the insert 2 in place. also of glass, and of differentlight transmitting In Figure 4 I have shown, diagrammatically, and lightreflecting properties from that of I. a method of making the lens ofFigures 1, 2 and The insert 2 is preferably, although not neces- 3. Theinsert 2 is first made in any desired man- Patented Feb. 21, 19392,147,914 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAMP LENS James A. Morehead,Huntington, W. Va., assignor to Samuel M. Dove Chicago, Ill.

Original application March 9, 1936, Serial No. 67,881. Divided and thisapplication August 24, 1936, Serial N0. 97,517

5 Claims. (0]. 88-81) This application is a division of my pendingsarily, blue, that is, contains cobalt blue, and is application SerialNo. 67,881, filed March 9, 1936. of high light transmitting properties.This in- This invention relates to lenses, and more par sert is notparticularly adapted as a reflector. A ticularly to such lenses as areused on automobile number of protuberances 4 may be formed on taillights, or the like. the back surface of the body I in order to increaseIn recent years there has been developed a tail the light reflectingproperties of the body I of light lens having a very high degree ofreflectivity, the lens. These protuberances may be of any the structurebeing such that light from the head shape known in the art, foraccomplishing this lights of an approaching automobile is reflectedpurpose. For instance, they may be projections back in the form of aslightly spreading beam, in the forms of substantially right angledcones, to indicate to an approaching motorist the presas shown in thepatent to Sharp, No. 1,675,431, ence of an automobile in front, eventhough the or they may be in the form of tetrahedrons, as lamp of thetail light of the forward automobile shown in the patent to Stimson, No.1,874,138, is not functioning. Such lenses are generally of a or theymay be in the form of reflecting buttons.

. 2, to form an integral mass of net, as by molding, and then, while itis still hot, it is placed in a mold IS, in which the lens proper is tobe'formed. A mass of glass I6 is then dropped into the mold I5, and theplunger 18 is then pressed into the mold I5 to press the mass of glassI6 to the desired shape. The glass 2 is preferably of a kind having acoefiicient of expansion and contraction substantially the same as thatof the glass It, which is to constitute the body portion I. They areboth preferably, but not necessarily, silica glass. The body of glass Itmay be of a temperature of approximately 1800" F. when it is droppedinto the mold l5. At that time the temperature of the insert 2 is about1000, although these temperatures may be varied over a very wide range.With glass of this kind it is essential that the temperature of theinsert 2 shall be quite high at the time the molten glass l6 first comesin contact with it, for otherwise the chill might produce undesirablestresses in the glass resulting, perhaps, in cracking of the same. Thedie l8 presses the mass of glass Hi to the desired shape, namely, theshape shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. After the glass has set sufficiently,the plunger I8 is retracted from the mold, and thereafter the lens iswithdrawn. During the process of making the lens, the heat of the bodyof glass IS in contact with the insert 2 causes a fusion of the glass ISwith the insert glass. The bead l2 formed in the body I, around theinsert 2, by the mold l8, serves to strengthen the body I along theinsert 2 so that as the glass of the body I contracts, and shrinksaround the insert, it will tightly grip the same, without any'danger ofcracking, or undue stressing of the material.

From the above description it is apparent that I have provided a simplelens that has a distinctly difierent appearance when viewed by reflectedlight than when viewed by transmitted light. In the lens hereillustrated the difierence is primarily one of color. By transmittedlight the center portion appears as a white beam surrounded by a redfield at the portion I. By reflected light the body I appears red andthe center portion appears black, due to lack of reflection. If desired,the insert 2 may be made to have high light reflecting properties and nolight transmitting properties. This can be accomplished by forming amirror reflecting layer on the back of the insert 2, whereby externallight is reflected, but no light from the bulb 8 is trans mitted throughthe insert. As another alternative, the lens may be constructed so thatthe sole difierence is one of color. The insert 2 may have the same (ordifierent) type of protuberances thereon as the lens portion I, in whichevent the portion of glass H is omitted. By making the lens portion 2 ofglass of difierent color from the portion I, the desired results may beobtained.

The portion 2 may be made of glass that appears one color by transmittedlight and a difierent color by reflected light.

The lens part 2 may be joined with the part i by means other thanfusion. For instance,- it may be cemented in place.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have hereshown' and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is,however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to theprecise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrative ofthe terial principles of the invention. What I consider new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lamp lens comprising a body of glass having reflectingprotuberances extending from one surface thereof to render the samehighly reflecting and a glass insert therein having low light reflectingproperties, said two pieces being fused together at the periphery of theinsert, said first body of glass having'joined thereto a thintransparent layer overlying one face of the second piece and fusedthereto over at least a substantial portion of its area.

2. A light transmitting and reflecting signalling lamp lens ha 'ng aportion adapted to transmit light therethrough from a light source and aportion adapted to reflect light along a path substantially parallel tothe incident beam, said two portions being of' different kinds of glass,one of said portions comprising a pre-formed body of glass extendinginto and integrally united at its periphery with the other portion, saidother portion having joined thereto a thin layer of glass overlying theinsert and integrally united therewith over at least a substantialportion of its area. I

3. A signal lamp lens comprising a main body of glass of a dangerindicating color and having means at the periphery thereof for mountingthe same in a lamp, and an insert comprising a body of glass of adifferent color than that of the main body and surrounded by the mainbody, said two bodies of glass being united together along the peripheryof the insert to form one integral structure, and in addition said firstbody of glass having joined thereto a thin layer of glass overlying oneface of the insert and united thereto over at least a substantialportion of its area, one of said bodies of glass having surfaces formedto reflect light from a distant source in the general direction of thelight source.

4. A signal lamp lens comprising a main body of a danger indicatingcolor, and an insert comprising a body of material having differentlight transmitting characteristics than that of the maof the main bodyand surrounded by the main body, said two bodies being united along theperiphery of the insert to form one integral structure, and in additionsaid first body having joined thereto a thin layer of the material ofwhich it is made which layer overlies one face of the insert and isunited thereto over at least a substantial portion of 7 its area, one ofsaid bodies having surfaces formed to reflect light from a distantsource in the general direction of the light source.

5. A light transmitting and reflecting signal lamp lens having a portionadapted to transmit light therethrough from a light source and a portionadapted to reflect light along a path substantially parallel to theincident beam, one of said portions comprising a preformed bodyextending into and integrally united at its periphery with the otherportion and said other portion having joined thereto a thin layer oflens material overlying the insert and integrally united therewith overat least a substantial portion of its area, said lens and insert andoverlying layer being of light pervious glass-like material and saidinsert being of difl'erent color material than that of the other portionof the lens and than that of the overlying layer. 7

. 1 JAS. A. MOREHEAD.

